Hi all,

Recently got rid of my 595 & picked up a 2009 Abarth Punto Grande, all stock, no mods & has 98K on the clock, I’m loving this car to be honest I think this is better than the 595 or at least the 595 I had for two years.

I picked this up for what I think is a real good price but it had a couple of issues, all but one are now fixed but the last one is the major one.

The dashboard cluster does not work which is a huge issue when driving but it’s not completely dead, the lights, time & mileage show up on the cluster but everything else is dead, no RPM, no speedo, no fuel or temperature. I will say that everything works, i.e. brake lights, turn signals, high beam, etc but they don’t show up.

I’ve just got in from replacing the cluster to a new one & have changed & checked over a good few fuses but have come up with nothing .

Has anyone more experienced with the Punto have any ideas on what to do next ?

I’m thinking of replacing the battery & cleaning up the terminals & replacing more fuses but I’m coming to an end of ideas.

Hello all,

Just a quick question about the spare key.

As much as I like using the bigger key with the 'switch blade' as I call it, I do find it rather heavy with all my other key's & gimmicks on my key chain.

Sometimes I like using the  old basic key as I had a Mini for six years I never had a 'normal' key, I only had that weird Mini style round key that I called the Oreo.

But discovered the other day that while the spare key will start the car, mine does not lock or unlock the doors to the car so I would have to carry both keys.

Is this normal ?

Or do I have an issue with my key barrel's ?

Any feedback will be great.

Honestly thought I'd have my Abarth by now.  But my second order has been cancelled & I've been offered a 595 Custom.

I've had a load of problems with my local Abarth dealer since 16th March when I placed my first order. They are now asking me to place my third order.

I'm really at the end of my tether, Given the choice of a 595 Custom or a Mini Cooper S 3dr.  What would you choose ? 

I still would love the Abarth but all the messing around by the dealer is really taking its toll on me. I ordered the Competizione on the 16th March & that order was kicked back, so a month later I ordered a 595 Turismo.

Got a call today saying its been cancelled over insurance issues. It got to the point where I was in contact with Abarth Italy directly over all my problems & they promised me I would get my Abarth & all would be fixed as they call the shots. Now the dealer is saying nope, thats not gonna happen.

How bare bones is the Custom on equipment stock without adding any extra's or kit's to it ?

I don't know whether to give them a third chance & see if this order gets kicked back or just cut my loss & go over to Mini.

I was going to be picking up my very first order on the 2nd of this month but now i'm going to be lucky if I get anything by end of Sept if not Oct.

I would like to be talked into staying with Abarth but the ordering process has not done my thinking any favours.

Hi all,

I think this is only my third post on here as I haven't really had that much to talk about as I haven't had a Abarth to chat with other owners about.

But now I have all my paperwork & a date of pickup which is 1st August 2016.

I cannot wait.

I had originally planned to order an 180HP Compizione but an event that was out of my hands & the dealerships hands I have now ordered an Turismo.
The specs are pretty basic & I did not order some of the parts that I would of liked but as is life.

I have chosen the body colour of Podium Blue & the inside colour of Natural Leather which may clash but I really wanted the Natural Leather & Podium Blue & it will make it stick out a little bit I guess.

I did order the Interscope Sound System & the side stripe & door mirrors in white.

Everything else is standard kit & as it comes on the car such as wheels & trim, but I may try to remove the inside blue panel on the passenger side & try to get it dipped in either black or carbon if I can remove it with ease.

So now I have the final date & I count date the last leg of the wait.

Hi all,

Ive just joined to this forum to hopefully talk about Abarth's & maybe make a few online friend's.

I have not got my Abarth yet, but I will be ordering it on March next year on the day of my birthday as a 25th present to myself as I don't really have allot of other luxuries apart from my driving.

I'm based down in the South Ham's in Devon & am disabled but I am a huge car enthusiast. At the minute I'm driving a 2013 Mini Clubman, I've been a huge fan of the design of Mini & owned a hatch before this car as my very first car. But now I want to change as I don't like the new shape of Mini's now available on the market.

Unfortunalty the insurance where I live is pretty damn high which is a huge factor of what car I can get, I've been driving for almost seven year's & did complete an advanced driving exam last year so being 25 next march & out of the young drivers bracket & having this driving experience my insurance should be a great deal cheaper.

It was just on accident that I was dropping off my step father's Nissan Juke for a re-call & there is a tiny Abarth dealership tied to the side of the store & went in & had a talk with the main dealer & had a sit & a fiddle with a 595 & got some detail's & prices & will defiantly be going back soon for a test drive before I put my order in.

I'm counting down the day's, I've not been this excited for a car as the Clubman I bought was mainly for the extra space for talking my parent's shopping but now I want a car that I look forward to drive & also have fun while driving it, I used to always go out just to drive about for the sake of it when I got my first car but I haven't done that once in my current car, it just seems like I just drive to the destination & home & that's it, I want to have that fun feeling while driving again.

I already made a short list of what extra part's I Will order for my 595 which will be at the least the Monza exhaust package & the uprated audio system, I'm debating the Koni springs but am not sure yet, I'd like mine in a grey colour with the rear windows tinted.

I would really like some tips & advice as I have never driving a turbo car before & there must be some kind of change in driving style, I'm not a very fast driver, my friend's all complain that I drive like an old person, I don't really see the RPM gauge past 4000 & keep to the limits & just cruise about really. My current car isn't built for speed but has a little go once you get it going on the dual carridge way.

Apart from that I cannot think what else to write at the moment but would love Abarth veterans advice & any tips they have picked up while driving theirs.

Thanks, Mike Noble.